Album Review: Jacquees - '4275'

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4275’ is a smooth and sexy R & B album that harks back to the 1990s era where artists like Dru Hill and Blackstreet were flooding the airways. Jacquees’ voice oozes lust and passion with lyrics telling tales of sex and love in explicit fashion. Regardless of his brash and confident persona, he still finds time to give glimpses of his real persona behind the bravado, but you just have to search for it. ‘B.E.D.’ is the breakout track, and it personifies what the album is all about. “I know you wanna love, but I just wanna fuck” is one of many constant lyrics that show you just where Jacquees; mind is at, and although his voice is so special, it feels like a waste. On ‘Studio’ he carries on with the themes of sex, telling us all far too many times that he wants to “fuck you in the studio.” These are lyrics of a young and confident artist that doesn’t really want to use his voice to show off his talents for anything more than to brag about his seemingly constant sexual conquests.

Thankfully Jacquees shows of a sensitive side on songs like ‘Beauty doesn’t Cry,’ and it makes up for the boasting. Musically, ‘4275’ is filled with some beautiful beats that mirror the high production of albums from artists like Ginuwine, specifically on tracks like ‘Play the Field’ where it samples ‘Pony’ by the artist. Again, its sexually driven lyrics come to the forefront and overpower just what Jacquees’ song writing is capable of. On his collaboration with LaTocha Scott called ‘Infatuated,’ he manages to sing about love in an honest way, and it’s refreshing. Jacquees is a smart lyricist that too often falls into the pitfalls of repetitive boasting when he can do such a good job of talking about love and sex in a delicate way.

On ‘All About Us,’ Jacquees offers moments of maturity, reflecting on his own experiences outside of love, showing off his ability to write about personal moments of importance and family. It’s in these brief moments that he portrays a layered and affected individual and where Jacquees shines as an artist. For much of the album, the beats are strong and catchy, offering plenty to enjoy, but towards the end it drags somewhat and seems to outstay it welcome. There’s plenty for Jacquees to be proud of here, and as he grows as an artist I’m sure he’ll mature with age. With many artists, collaborations with better known musicians can stand taller than their own appearances, but because Jacquees has such a strong voice he rarely puts in a weak performance. With moments of lucidy in his lyrics, there’s no doubt he’ll be up there with the old artists he shows a profound amount of respect for in the near future, but for now, it feels like Jacquees has a lot to learn when it comes to his words.

Words by Chris White